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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23664832">Pot of Ramyeon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itotoro/pseuds/aspiringTwiceFan'>aspiringTwiceFan (itotoro)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Char Studies based on real life events [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TWICE (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>LGBT Themes, Mom Jihyo, angsty ramen cooking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:08:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,392</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23664832</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/itotoro/pseuds/aspiringTwiceFan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There are nights when Dahyun can't sleep. </p><p>On nights like these, Dahyun cooks ramyeon</p><p>Character and setting study.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Char Studies based on real life events [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596676</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pot of Ramyeon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dahyun is awake. She can't sleep.</p><p>She reaches for the phone beside her pillow, where she left it. The bright light of the LED screen blinds her. It's 2AM. She has been trying to sleep for an hour, tossing and turning on the top bunk of the bed.</p><p>Dahyun strains her ears, listening for the familiar breathing of her roommates. She hears nothing. They are likely spending time with the older members in the common area.</p><p>Dahyun feels her way to the foot of her bed. Bare feet find the frigid steel of the bed frame before sliding on the top rung of the ladder. She tucks her cellphone in the pocket of her hoodie before climbing down, five rungs cold on her feet and hands. The wooden flooring is a welcome change.</p><p>Some members like staying up late, especially after going onstage. The performance adrenaline propelled them to stay up and play games or tell stories. Dahyun decided to pass tonight; she didn't feel like talking to Chaeyoung.</p><p>Dahyun navigates the dark dorm room with ease. She makes her way to door by following the grain of the wooden floor. A draft enters the room through the window; Dahyun feels it under her flannel pajamas.</p><p> </p><p>It's a little too bright when she opens the door into the dorm hallway. She steps on the ice-cold marble, flinching at the sensation on her feet. It was definitely wintertime.</p><p>Nayeon's chortles echo from the left end of the hallway. The lights are open, the sound of animated conversation dampened by the distance. It's a mix of five voices: Nayeon, Sana, Momo, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu.</p><p>Nayeon struggled to sleep at night, everyone knew that. Sana and Momo accompanied her on most nights, even when Momo struggled to stay awake. Chaeyoung would join in when she doesn't feel sleepy. Tzuyu would just join in.</p><p>It didn't end well with Dahyun last time.</p><p>She heads to the right end of the hallway, away from the common room. Not tonight. She traces the wall with one hand, making her way to the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>On nights like these, Dahyun cooks herself a pot of ramyeon.</p><p> </p><p>She flicks the light switch, opting only to open half of them. The tiny kitchen takes its time waking up; the orange lights by the sink flicker open, lazy in chasing away the dark.</p><p>Dahyun releases a sigh. She pulls her phone out (the time is 2:20 AM), leaving it on the counter by the door. She unplugs the microwave; someone forgot to unplug it after using it tonight.</p><p>Her stash of ramyeon is hidden in the overhead cupboard, behind Jeongyeon's box of cereal. The pack of six is still unopened. Dahyun tiptoes to tear off a corner of the pack and split it open with her fingers, reaching for one serving. She hides the stash behind the cereal box once more before closing the cupboard.</p><p> </p><p>Dahyun freezes when she hears a creak from the kitchen door. She sees nobody.</p><p>After a moment, she continues from where she left off.</p><p>Dahyun opens the cabinet below the microwave, pulling out a nickel pot and a pair of steel chopsticks. She sets both down beside her cellphone. Noodles need water, so she heads to the fridge.</p><p> </p><p>The light of the fridge is a little too bright, but Dahyun's eyes adjust. She pulls out a pitcher. She pours water into the nickel pot, then returns the pitcher to the fridge.</p><p>Dahyun sets the nickel pot on the stove before twisting the stove's knob. Blue flames flicker beneath the pot, the sight entrancing in the dimly-lit kitchen.</p><p>Dahyun opens the pack of her prized instant noodles while waiting for the pot to heat up. She sets aside the packets of broth and dried vegetables, then waits for water to boil.</p><p>She hears Chaeyoung's laughter through the silence of the kitchen. Dahyun wonders what it is they are talking about now.</p><p> </p><p>Nayeon's late night talks varied every night. They could be discussing new movies, surprise V-lives, even sexuality. Chaeyoung usually brought the latter up. Except when Dahyun was around.</p><p> </p><p>The low light casts shadows on the sink, drawing Dahyun's eyes to a pink mug by the dish rack. Sana's pink mug.</p><p>She attempts to distract herself by stirring the water in the pot. It doesn't accomplish much.</p><p> </p><p>When Chaeyoung first came out to the members, Dahyun thought she could handle it. Everyone was entitled to self-expression, and Chaeyoung was still Chaeyoung: Honest and a bit rash. Coming out made her more comfortable in her own skin.</p><p>Dahyun was happy for her, that's for sure. But Chaeyoung shed light on truths that Dahyun wasn't ready to acknowledge. It drove her up the wall.</p><p> </p><p>The water boils. Dahyun places the noodle in the pot, submerging it for a moment with her chopsticks. She opens the packet of the vegetables, pouring it in beside the floating noodles.</p><p>Dahyun takes her phone from the counter. It's 2:24 AM. She sets a timer for 3 minutes.</p><p>Her eyes make their way to the dish rack by the sink - to Sana's mug. It's pink, like the color of her hair in their Feel Special music video.</p><p> </p><p>Sana easily distracted her during the filming of their scene. The mischievous glint in the older girl's eyes spoke to her, sent signals that Dahyun didn't want to catch.</p><p> </p><p>Enough thoughts about Sana. Dahyun should add an egg to the noodles. She makes her way to the fridge, bare feet shuffling across the cold kitchen tiles. It was definitely wintertime.</p><p> </p><p>The cool air wafts on her face as she scans the contents of the fridge.</p><p>The members' face mask lay in a neat row on on the bottom of the fridge door. Each member had their own sheet mask preference. Everything else was free territory.</p><p>She finds the eggs on the rack above the face masks. She takes one before shutting the door. She tiptoes back to the stove, wanting as little of her feet as possible on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>Dahyun checks her phone. 30 seconds left on the timer.</p><p>She waits it out. Tries not too think too much about the laughter coming from the common area. She can pick out Sana's jovial tone even from distance.</p><p> </p><p>Sana didn't know the meaning of personal space. She was always hugging the members, kissing them in public, cuddling in the name of friendship. It did weird things to Dahyun's stomach.</p><p> </p><p>The sharp beep of the timer echoes through the kitchen, derailing Dahyun's train of thought. She mixes the noodles with her chopsticks to separate them before cracking the egg in.</p><p>She lets it cook for thirty seconds before she adds the seasoning. Shin Ramyeon Black has two packets: the normal seasoning and an extra packet that turns the broth rich. She adds them one after the other, stirring away from the egg to keep its shape.</p><p>The vapors from the boiling water carries the smell of the seasoning. It makes her mouth water. She shuts off the fire of the stove.</p><p>Dahyun sets a silicon potholder on the counter. She taps the handles of the nickel pot with the pads of her fingers to check the temperature. Judging it to be cool enough to hold, she removes the pot from the stove.</p><p> </p><p>There's a tall stool tucked in the corner of the tiny kitchen, opposite the doorway. Dahyun always used it on nights like these. It was tall enough for a midnight snack by the kitchen counter, and had spindles she could rest her feet on. She braces herself as she walks to get it, lifting it on the walk back.</p><p> </p><p>She sits on the stool, lifting her feet off the cold tiles. She fixes her posture. The smell of the ramyeon calls to her, and she can almost taste it.</p><p>She prays first. May God bless the food she's about to eat.</p><p>May God explain the sickening feeling in her stomach, the one that creeps whenever Sana's breath tickles her neck.</p><p>The aroma of the Shin Ramyeon Black does nothing to drown out Chaeyoung's voice in her head. <em>You're such a hypocrite, Dahyun. You like women too.</em> </p><p> </p><p>God, what was happening to her?</p><p> </p><p>She picks up her chopsticks, ends her prayer. She pulls the noodles out of the broth, eyesight addled in the dark kitchen. It's fine staying here, quiet in the dark.</p><p> </p><p>A yelp surprises her.</p><p>Dahyun stiffens at the sound of her name. The rest of the kitchen lights flicker to life, and she turns, caught red-handed with her midnight snack.</p><p> </p><p>It's Jihyo, a big knitted blanket over her blue pajamas. Her hair is unkempt, stray strands standing at awkward angles. She's taken aback, eyes wide and a hand on her chest.</p><p>Dahyun stares back, letting the noodles slip from her chopsticks.</p><p> </p><p>"Gosh, Dahyun-ah. Why are you eating in the dark?" Jihyo's voice is a little loud, as usual. She looks Dahyun up and down. "Aren't you feeling cold?"</p><p>Dahyun shrugs it off. "Feeling hungry, eonni. Couldn't sleep." She shifts on the tall stool to face the older leader. "Why are you awake?"</p><p>Jihyo sighs, padding to Dahyun. "That's Shin Ramyeon Black, right? Can I try some?"</p><p>Dahyun pushes the nickel pot to Jihyo. The older girl adjusts her blanket, pulling it around her shoulders as she stares into the pot. "Changed my mind, Dahyun-ah. The smell is enough."</p><p>"You sure, eonni?" Dahyun offers her chopsticks to Jihyo.</p><p>"Yeah." Jihyo nods at Dahyun's feet. "Do you want to borrow my slippers? I have socks on anyway."</p><p>Dahyun chuckles. "You look like you need it more than I do."</p><p>Jihyo laughs. "Your bare feet will thank me." She slips off her fluffy slippers, nudging them with her socked feet towards Dahyun.</p><p>Dahyun obliges, slipping them on. The warmth is a welcome change.</p><p> </p><p>Jihyo leans on the counter with one elbow, facing the ramyeon. She watches as Dahyun cuts open the cooked egg, custard yolk meandering in the broth. "Why are you eating by yourself, Dahyun-ah? The other members are still awake."</p><p>Dahyun shrugs, delaying the conversation by eating some noodles. She focuses on the different ingredients: the savory broth, the chewy noodles, a stray vegetable.</p><p>Jihyo waits for her to answer.</p><p>"I don't really want to join in, eonni." Dahyun is honest, but does not go into details. Not when she hasn't figured things out for herself yet.</p><p>"Is it about what happened last week?" Jihyo asks without prodding.</p><p>Dahyun nods, and the conversation ends there. She takes in another bite of noodles, this time including some of the egg yolk. It's a little too salty; Dahyun should have stuck to half the packet of seasoning. That's how Chaeyoung usually does it.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm awake because I was reading comments on Naver" Jihyo confesses out of the blue.</p><p>Dahyun makes a face. "It's been five months and people are still making snide comments about you?"</p><p>"Yeah." Jihyo stares at the noodles. "It's taking a toll on him." She pulls the blanket closer to herself.</p><p>"You know it's not true." Dahyun twists the noodles in her chopsticks, making a neat bundle. She lifts it to Jihyo's mouth. "Only you know that."</p><p>Jihyo takes the bite without a second thought. She mumbles a quick thanks while chewing.</p><p> </p><p>Dahyun lifts the nickel pot to her lips, sipping some of the warm soup.</p><p>"It's saltier than we're used to." Jihyo grins when Dahyun's eyebrows furrow. "We got used to Chaeng only putting in half the packet."</p><p>Dahyun chuckles, then shrugs her shoulders.</p><p>"You haven't talked about it?" Jihyo broaches the topic, watching Dahyun with her brown eyes.</p><p>"We're just pretending it didn't happen." Dahyun replies in a clipped tone. At the rate she's going, she will run out of noodles to delay the conversation.</p><p>"But it's obviously bothering you." Jihyo reaches out, making tentative contact with Dahyun's forearm.</p><p>Dahyun flinches, and Jihyo retracts her hand.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm sorry, eonni". It's uncomfortable, telling someone else about her thoughts. Her hands smooth over the marble counter, grounding herself in the cold. "I'm just tightly wound."</p><p>Dahyun looks up, making eye contact with Jihyo. The older girl's dark circles stand out in the bright light. "I understand, Dahyun-ah. But Chaeyoung's your best friend."</p><p>"After what I told her, I don't think she feels the same."</p><p>"I'm sure she does."</p><p>"She's not talking to me anymore."</p><p>"You're not making it easy" Jihyo gestures to the pot of ramyeon, to Dahyun. "She's not talking to you because you're isolating yourself like this."</p><p>Dahyun doesn't respond, Jihyo's words sinking in.</p><p> </p><p>She lost her appetite.</p><p> </p><p>"I feel like a hypocrite, eonni." Dahyun reaches out, for Jihyo's hand.</p><p>Jihyo steps forward and hugs her. She says nothing, but the warmth emanating from her knitted blanket speaks volumes.</p><p> </p><p>It's okay to makes mistakes. It's okay not to understand herself. She's not alone.</p><p> </p><p>"Dahyun-ah." A new voice breaks through the silence of the tiny kitchen.</p><p>Dahyun looks over Jihyo's shoulder, spotting Chaeyoung by the doorway. The younger girl shrinks in Dahyun's view, hands clutching the hem of her pajama shirt.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey." Dahyun releases herself from the embrace.</p><p>Jihyo steps back as Chaeyoung moves forward.</p><p>"Dahyun-ah. Sorry."</p><p>Dahyun opens her arms, and Chaeyoung flies into the embrace.</p><p> </p><p>The warmth is a welcome change.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm also sorry, Chaengie, I shouldn't have said what I said." Dahyun catches Chaeyoung's head on her shoulder, letting it rest there. "After everything you've been through."</p><p>Chaeyoung burrows into the hug. "I started it. It's been bothering me all week."</p><p>Dahyun feels very small in the embrace. Vulnerable. "I'm sorry I told you to stop being gay."</p><p>"I'm sorry for calling you a hypocrite. " Chaeyoung pulls back. "And I was out of line for calling you out like that." The younger girl's eyes are watery, but there's a smile on her face.</p><p>Dahyun wipes her own eyes. "It's okay, I deserved it." She chuckles when Chaeyoung slaps her on the shoulder.</p><p>"You'll figure it out." Chaeyoung squeezes Dahyun's shoulder. It feels good, and it makes Dahyun laugh. It makes Chaeyoung laugh too, lifts the heavy veil that stood between them.</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry for the sappy mess, Jihyo-eonni". Jihyo raises a thumb in acknowledgement, a smile on her face.</p><p>Dahyun stands up, toes warm and snug in Jihyo's fuzzy slippers. "The both of you, want some noodles? I'll cook another batch."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was lowkey inspired by that one Jihyo quote about Dahyun being the more quiet girl in the dorm</p><p>Dahyun is such a weird character to write. She's so energetic onstage but she's crazily private.</p><p>I wrote this after a week of studying OneStopforWriters materials, specifically how to use the setting in storytelling. I would love to hear what you think of my writing, toss criticism at me! Especially if it will make me better at writing</p></blockquote></div></div>
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